Biography

Dean Pees, the sixth defensive coordinator in team history, is in his third season leading the Ravens’ defense. Pees, who was New England’s defensive coordinator from 2006-09, directs the acclaimed Baltimore unit, whose history speaks for itself. The 2013 defense finished 12th in both yards (335.5) and points (22.0) allowed per game and was stellar on third down, permitting a 33.5% conversion rate (third in NFL). Veterans NT Haloti Ngata (fifth invite) and OLB Terrell Suggs (sixth invite) earned Pro Bowl honors, leading a defense that endured the departure of perennial stalwarts LB Ray Lewis (retired) and S Ed Reed (free agent). In 2012, his first year as coordinator, Pees guided a group that was depleted by injuries to key starters, including the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year, Suggs, who missed the first six games, and Lewis, who missed the final 10 regular season games. Led by Pro Bowl selections Ngata and Reed, the Super Bowl-winning defense was the NFL’s second best in the red zone, surrendering a 43.4% TD mark inside the 20. Pees joined the Ravens in 2010 as linebackers coach and helped the unit finish as the third-best scoring defense (points allowed per game) in four-consecutive years (2008-11). The four-straight years tied an NFL record for consecutive seasons of being in the Top 3 for points allowed. Pees arrived in Baltimore following a six-year stint with the New England Patriots (2004-09). During his tenure guiding the defense, the Patriots were the only NFL team to finish in the Top 10 in scoring defense in four-straight seasons. New England’s unit also allowed fewer than 20 points per game in every season under Pees’ guidance, the best run of any coordinator in the Bill Belichick era. Pees’ coaching credentials include six years (1998-2003) as head coach at Kent State and 15 seasons as a defensive coordinator on the collegiate level, including the 1983 season when he coached Ravens head coach John Harbaugh at Miami (OH).

2010-13: (with Baltimore) 2013: Unit ranked third in third-down defense (33.5%) and finished 12th both in points (22.0 ppg) and yards (335.5 ypg) allowed...Pro Bowlers NT Haloti Ngata (fifth) and OLB Terrell Suggs (sixth) led the group that lost stalwarts LB Ray Lewis (retired) and S Ed Reed (free agent)...Ravens were seventh in red zone defense, surrendering a 48.8% TD mark inside the 20...LB Daryl Smith was one of three NFL defenders to post at least 100 tackles, 5 sacks and 3 INTs (his 123 tackles led the Ravens), while his 19 PD set a team record by a LB, breaking Ray Lewis’ mark of 13 in 2003...CB Lardarius Webb was second in the league with 22 PD. 2012: Promoted to defensive coordinator...Led by Pro Bowl selections Ngata (fourth) and Reed (ninth), the Super Bowl-winning defense was the NFL’s second best in the red zone (43.4%)...Baltimore permitted 21.5 points per game, tying (NYG) for the NFL’s 12th-best mark. 2011: Defense allowed the NFL’s third-fewest points (16.6 ppg) for the fourth-consecutive season...Two of Pees’ LBs, Lewis (13th) and Suggs (fifth), earned a trip to the Pro Bowl...Despite missing four games due to a toe injury, Lewis led the team with 95 tackles, and Suggs, who was named the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year, posted a team-leading and career-high 14 sacks, while also forcing an NFL-high 7 FFs. 2010: Ravens allowed the NFL’s third-fewest points (16.9 ppg) for the third-consecutive season...Lewis led the team with 145 tackles and became the only player in NFL history with at least 35 sacks and 30 INTs...Joined Baltimore as the team’s linebackers coach.

2004-09: (with New England)2009: Pees led the Patriots’ defense that ranked 11th in the NFL in total defense (320.2 ypg) and fifth in scoring defense (17.8 ppg). 2008: New England’s defensive unit ranked 10th in the NFL, allowing just 309.0 yards per contest…Patriots surrendered 19.3 points per game and earned an 11-5 record despite using 22 different starters on defense. 2007: NE’s defense contributed to the first 16-0 regular season in NFL history…Defense allowed 274 points (17.4 ppg) and ranked fourth in the NFL in yards per game (288.3), which were the fewest permitted by a Patriots’ defense in 28 years...NE finished second in the league with 47 sacks and sent three starters to the Pro Bowl (LB Mike Vrabel, NT Vince Wilfork and CB Asante Samuel). 2006: In his first season as defensive coordinator, Pees’ defense set a franchise record for points allowed per game (14.8), which was second in the NFL...Defense was fourth in the NFL in take-aways (35). 2005: Tutored a linebacker unit that featured three of the defense’s Top 5 tacklers and accounted for 22 of the team’s 33 sacks. 2004: In his first NFL season, Pees mentored a linebacker group that produced three of the team’s top four tacklers…Defense ranked sixth in the NFL against the run, while the linebackers recorded 27.5 sacks…LB Tedy Bruschi finished second on the team with 128 tackles and earned his first Pro Bowl selection, while LB Willie McGinest paced the defense with 9.5 sacks.

1998-2003: (with Kent State) 2002: QB Joshua Cribbs became only the second player in NCAA history with two “double” (passing/rushing) 1,000-yard seasons and would later go on to break 13 different school records. 2001: Pees led KSU to a 6-5 record, the school’s best mark in 14 years and only its second winning season in 25 years...LB James Harrison – a multi-year NFL Pro Bowler – finished second in school history with 12 sacks and 20 TFL. 1998: Named head coach.

1995-97: (with Michigan State) Was the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach on Nick Saban’s staff...Spartans qualified for a postseason bowl game in each of Pees’ three seasons and finished with the 13th-ranked defense in his final season.

1994: (with Notre Dame) Was the secondary coach on Lou Holtz’s staff…Coached future Pro Bowl CB Bobby Taylor during his senior year in which he was named to numerous All-American teams.

1990-93: (with Toledo) Spent four years as the defensive coordinator at Toledo, where he was first hired by head coach Nick Saban in 1990. 1992: Pees’ defense allowed just 13.9 points per game when Toledo posted an 8-3 record, including two shutout victories...Unit did not allow a second-half TD in any of their eight conference games.

1987-89: (with Navy) Held a three-year post as the Midshipmen’s secondary coach.

1983-86: (with Miami-OH) Completed four years as the defensive coordinator/secondary coach. 1983: Was the defensive coordinator and position coach for Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, who played defensive back.

1979-82: (with Findlay) First collegiate coaching experience came as the defensive coordinator/secondary coach during four seasons at the University of Findlay. 1979: Findlay won the Division II National Championship.

1973-78: Coached six years of high school football at Elmwood (Bloomdale, OH) HS, first as an assistant coach (1973-74) and then as a head coach (1975-78).

College: Earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Bowling Green State University.

Personal: Pees, who attended Hardin Northern (Dola, OH) HS, received a distinguished alumni award and was inducted into the school’s newly-formed Hall of Fame in 2013...Pees is a member of the Hardin County Ohio Sports Hall of Fame (2011)...A native of Dunkirk, OH, Dean and his wife, Melody, have six children: Laura (son-in-law Austin), Meredith (son-in-law Scott), Steffani, Matt (daughter-in-law Emily), Elli (son-in-law Chad) and Tarrin, and seven grandchildren: Kade, Cole, Parker, twins Samantha and Brody, Julian and Ellis.

Dean Pees, the sixth defensive coordinator in team history, is in his third season leading the Ravens’ defense. Pees, who was New England’s defensive coordinator from 2006-09, directs the acclaimed Baltimore unit, whose history speaks for itself. The 2013 defense finished 12th in both yards (335.5) and points (22.0) allowed per game and was stellar on third down, permitting a 33.5% conversion rate (third in NFL). Veterans NT Haloti Ngata (fifth invite) and OLB Terrell Suggs (sixth invite) earned Pro Bowl honors, leading a defense that endured the departure of perennial stalwarts LB Ray Lewis (retired) and S Ed Reed (free agent). In 2012, his first year as coordinator, Pees guided a group that was depleted by injuries to key starters, including the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year, Suggs, who missed the first six games, and Lewis, who missed the final 10 regular season games. Led by Pro Bowl selections Ngata and Reed, the Super Bowl-winning defense was the NFL’s second best in the red zone, surrendering a 43.4% TD mark inside the 20. Pees joined the Ravens in 2010 as linebackers coach and helped the unit finish as the third-best scoring defense (points allowed per game) in four-consecutive years (2008-11). The four-straight years tied an NFL record for consecutive seasons of being in the Top 3 for points allowed. Pees arrived in Baltimore following a six-year stint with the New England Patriots (2004-09). During his tenure guiding the defense, the Patriots were the only NFL team to finish in the Top 10 in scoring defense in four-straight seasons. New England’s unit also allowed fewer than 20 points per game in every season under Pees’ guidance, the best run of any coordinator in the Bill Belichick era. Pees’ coaching credentials include six years (1998-2003) as head coach at Kent State and 15 seasons as a defensive coordinator on the collegiate level, including the 1983 season when he coached Ravens head coach John Harbaugh at Miami (OH).

2010-13: (with Baltimore) 2013: Unit ranked third in third-down defense (33.5%) and finished 12th both in points (22.0 ppg) and yards (335.5 ypg) allowed...Pro Bowlers NT Haloti Ngata (fifth) and OLB Terrell Suggs (sixth) led the group that lost stalwarts LB Ray Lewis (retired) and S Ed Reed (free agent)...Ravens were seventh in red zone defense, surrendering a 48.8% TD mark inside the 20...LB Daryl Smith was one of three NFL defenders to post at least 100 tackles, 5 sacks and 3 INTs (his 123 tackles led the Ravens), while his 19 PD set a team record by a LB, breaking Ray Lewis’ mark of 13 in 2003...CB Lardarius Webb was second in the league with 22 PD. 2012: Promoted to defensive coordinator...Led by Pro Bowl selections Ngata (fourth) and Reed (ninth), the Super Bowl-winning defense was the NFL’s second best in the red zone (43.4%)...Baltimore permitted 21.5 points per game, tying (NYG) for the NFL’s 12th-best mark. 2011: Defense allowed the NFL’s third-fewest points (16.6 ppg) for the fourth-consecutive season...Two of Pees’ LBs, Lewis (13th) and Suggs (fifth), earned a trip to the Pro Bowl...Despite missing four games due to a toe injury, Lewis led the team with 95 tackles, and Suggs, who was named the 2011 Defensive Player of the Year, posted a team-leading and career-high 14 sacks, while also forcing an NFL-high 7 FFs. 2010: Ravens allowed the NFL’s third-fewest points (16.9 ppg) for the third-consecutive season...Lewis led the team with 145 tackles and became the only player in NFL history with at least 35 sacks and 30 INTs...Joined Baltimore as the team’s linebackers coach.

2004-09: (with New England)2009: Pees led the Patriots’ defense that ranked 11th in the NFL in total defense (320.2 ypg) and fifth in scoring defense (17.8 ppg). 2008: New England’s defensive unit ranked 10th in the NFL, allowing just 309.0 yards per contest…Patriots surrendered 19.3 points per game and earned an 11-5 record despite using 22 different starters on defense. 2007: NE’s defense contributed to the first 16-0 regular season in NFL history…Defense allowed 274 points (17.4 ppg) and ranked fourth in the NFL in yards per game (288.3), which were the fewest permitted by a Patriots’ defense in 28 years...NE finished second in the league with 47 sacks and sent three starters to the Pro Bowl (LB Mike Vrabel, NT Vince Wilfork and CB Asante Samuel). 2006: In his first season as defensive coordinator, Pees’ defense set a franchise record for points allowed per game (14.8), which was second in the NFL...Defense was fourth in the NFL in take-aways (35). 2005: Tutored a linebacker unit that featured three of the defense’s Top 5 tacklers and accounted for 22 of the team’s 33 sacks. 2004: In his first NFL season, Pees mentored a linebacker group that produced three of the team’s top four tacklers…Defense ranked sixth in the NFL against the run, while the linebackers recorded 27.5 sacks…LB Tedy Bruschi finished second on the team with 128 tackles and earned his first Pro Bowl selection, while LB Willie McGinest paced the defense with 9.5 sacks.

1998-2003: (with Kent State) 2002: QB Joshua Cribbs became only the second player in NCAA history with two “double” (passing/rushing) 1,000-yard seasons and would later go on to break 13 different school records. 2001: Pees led KSU to a 6-5 record, the school’s best mark in 14 years and only its second winning season in 25 years...LB James Harrison – a multi-year NFL Pro Bowler – finished second in school history with 12 sacks and 20 TFL. 1998: Named head coach.

1995-97: (with Michigan State) Was the defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach on Nick Saban’s staff...Spartans qualified for a postseason bowl game in each of Pees’ three seasons and finished with the 13th-ranked defense in his final season.

1994: (with Notre Dame) Was the secondary coach on Lou Holtz’s staff…Coached future Pro Bowl CB Bobby Taylor during his senior year in which he was named to numerous All-American teams.

1990-93: (with Toledo) Spent four years as the defensive coordinator at Toledo, where he was first hired by head coach Nick Saban in 1990. 1992: Pees’ defense allowed just 13.9 points per game when Toledo posted an 8-3 record, including two shutout victories...Unit did not allow a second-half TD in any of their eight conference games.

1987-89: (with Navy) Held a three-year post as the Midshipmen’s secondary coach.

1983-86: (with Miami-OH) Completed four years as the defensive coordinator/secondary coach. 1983: Was the defensive coordinator and position coach for Ravens head coach John Harbaugh, who played defensive back.

1979-82: (with Findlay) First collegiate coaching experience came as the defensive coordinator/secondary coach during four seasons at the University of Findlay. 1979: Findlay won the Division II National Championship.

1973-78: Coached six years of high school football at Elmwood (Bloomdale, OH) HS, first as an assistant coach (1973-74) and then as a head coach (1975-78).

College: Earned his bachelor’s degree in secondary education from Bowling Green State University.

Personal: Pees, who attended Hardin Northern (Dola, OH) HS, received a distinguished alumni award and was inducted into the school’s newly-formed Hall of Fame in 2013...Pees is a member of the Hardin County Ohio Sports Hall of Fame (2011)...A native of Dunkirk, OH, Dean and his wife, Melody, have six children: Laura (son-in-law Austin), Meredith (son-in-law Scott), Steffani, Matt (daughter-in-law Emily), Elli (son-in-law Chad) and Tarrin, and seven grandchildren: Kade, Cole, Parker, twins Samantha and Brody, Julian and Ellis.